Different political views to parents

[gem90xo]

I wondered whether people have really different political views to their family (mainly older family) etc and how they deal with it? I feel like everytime I see mine lately they are so riled up about what is on the mainstream media at the moment ie immigration, protests etc and get most of their info from Facebook, Twitter and mail online .

They spend a lot of time scrolling on their phones and definitely fall for a lot of the rage bait online when it comes to those kind of topics and literally believe everything they read. Whilst I do challenge it sometimes, I’m finding it more difficult as I have completely different views which they don’t want to even hear and the amount they go on and on is starting to grate on me. I feel like it’s affecting their moods and changing their personalities

Any advice or does anyone else have similar experiences?

Yep, I get it. Mine have changed since they fully retired and gave up voluntary work as well. They have contact with a much narrower slice of society now and so it’s easy to malign other groups or not see their problems, such as child poverty or the cost of housing. Yes, they grew up without central heating and mortgages were difficult to get in the 80s but that doesn’t mean people aren’t struggling to house/feed themselves now, poverty perhaps just looks a bit different compared to the 50s/60s. I used to think mine wanted to debate, but over time it has just become a monologue of well worn topics and opinions. I make listening noises, then just pop off to do this or that in between topics. They used to say I was opinionated and argumentative (for offering a counter view to theirs) before I adopted this approach, so I find letting it all wash over me is much better. It’s not necessarily that I think I’m right and they’re wrong, but if I offer an opposing view, then I am automatically wrong in their eyes, so it’s easier not to go there. I think we all care what our parents think of us and deep down want their approval, so it can be uncomfortable whatever you do. I tend to keep visits to smaller doses now, which in itself is a bit sad.

One of my siblings has GBNews on all day. She doesn't really watch it though. It's like a comfort blanket of fear , hate and ignorance. In practice she is very tolerant and open minded towards other people. Yet she believes all the bonkers stuff about ' 15 minute cities' , vaccines and Soros.

There's an old newspaper saying ' If it bleeds, it leads '. It's tough to get clicks and subscriptions these days . And few of us have the time or the focus to do more than scroll?

My Mum told me she only watches GB news as it's the only one that tells the truth. She is an out and out racist

I don't see her very often and now just shut her down when she starts on about immigrants and boats

Agree OP, and it doesn't have to be SM. My DPs read a certain right wing paper, no radio or much actual going out to balance it, and the just regurgitate the rubbish. I push back when it gets too much (outright racist or incorrect) but we have learnt to avoid politics 95% of the time.

It's funny how you don't talk about leftist misinformation such as...

it's possible to change sex,

men with a fetish are the "most marginalised" despite laws being changed to accommodate them and make women less safe.

Sterilising and mutilating anyone, but especially children is "kind",

Biden was "sharp as a tack",

The economic migrants on boats are doctors and engineers escaping the war in France.

Rachel Reeves is competent.

It's ok for working class girls to be sacrificed to rape gangs for the sake of social cohesion.

For the OP, they are your family. Ask yourself why you can't tolerate alternative views.

I’m what you probably call “leftist”. I don’t believe any of that parody, nor does anyone I know.

Utter poppycock. Most left wing people are not believers in gender woo or indeed in any woo. It's called Dialectical Materialism for a reason. Whether Reeves is competent is not a left / right issue at all. Same with Badenoch or Farage or Davey.

The rest of your racist diatribe I can't be arsed to respond to

💯

The modern obsession with specifically individual identity should be alien to the left. Its both anti-materialist and a distraction from economic class politics.

It is however a massive job creation scheme for those already advantaged by their own purity hierarchies.

My parents somehow in between constant fighting managed to create a free political house.
My df was classic dyed in the wool labour from Liverpool frequently chanting thatcher Thatcher the milk snatcher and DM was a swing voter who from a poor Catholic family admired many conservative policies on autonomy sorting yourself out like her parents did with little money and lots of children

They both said to us children the most important thing for us to do is question everything all the time.
Look behind the curtain.

Op it's very sad if you feel contempt because they feel a different way to you and that you feel a life time of education and values can be gone because they are phone scrolling .

Husband right politically, I was woolly minded liberal, he used to tease me. Now we're both disgusted with the lot of them. He does get more right wing stuff on Instagram which can be very funny.

It's everyone at the £££ trough from councillors to MPs.

Perhaps not the most ethical thing to do (but I'd do it anyway...) you could always go on her phone and snooze/unfollow/select "I'm not interested" some of the nonsense on her Facebook feed to reset her algorithm a bit.

Perhaps you should try understanding their perspective & showing a bit of empathy, OP?

My parents are like yours. They are ordinary, decent, working class people who, slince retiring, have become very angry about immigration & cultural issues. They still live near the area where they grew up but they no longer recognise their home town and no longer feel physically safe in their local city centre. They see illegal immigrants who they consider to be criminals being put up in what they view as luxury hotels. This is paid for by their taxes, but they can’t afford to stay in such hotels themselves.

Their profound feelings of injustice, loss & betrayal about these things are the root cause of their anger. They believe that the ‘rights’ of criminals take precedence over those of the law-abiding. They believe that foreigners get preferential treatment over British people who have contributed to this country all their lives. They read the Mail and watch GB News because those outlets represent their views & concerns without lecturing them & without the patronising judgemental finger wagging they hear on the BBC.

Do they really not have a point about any of this?

I agree to try and understand their perspective they were children and young people who grew up in a different world shaped in part by their parents and grandparents. Their stories about the war would have been taught at school too.

I've also noticed with age that the social filter lessens, they can be very blunt.

She's bedridden, in pain? and understandably pissed off about it.

So yes I'd cut her some slack and let It go over my head.

Exactly, each to their own. I never understood why some people make such a song and a dance about having a difference of opinion. The world would be very odd if everyone agreed about everything.